Showrunner Explains Why The Klingons On ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ Look So Different

A few months ago, CBS unveiled a glimpse at the Klingons from the upcoming ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ and fans were thrown for a loop by their radically different appearance from previous series and movies.

Check it out below:

Compared to previous takes, the new versions are decidedly more reptilian. Showrunner, Aaron Harberts has now offered an explanation:

In the different versions of Trek, the Klingons have never been completely consistent. We will introduce several different houses with different styles. Hopefully, fans will become more invested in the characters than worried about the redesign.

What Harberts says is true. In the original series, the Klingons were just slightly less human looking than the Vulcans. They simply had darker skin with more pronounced eye brows and facial hair.

In later movies and in ‘Star Trek: The Next Generation’, the Klingons seemed to have evolved and viewers were introduced to the more extreme look of these aliens, with their now signature ridged foreheads. The most famous example is ‘TNG”s Worf, played by Michael Dorn. In some depictions they also have decidedly mangled teeth.

The evolution was explained as being caused by genetic engineering in order to create more powerful and ruthless warriors.

But of course, ‘Discovery’, takes place ten years before the original series, so shouldn’t they revert back to the more humanoid look?

Then again, shouldn’t the producers take advantage of the advancement in visual effects and makeup?

It’s– not to muddle my franchises– somewhat akin to how everything in the ‘Star Wars’ prequels was more technologically advanced and elaborate than they were in the original films.

According to Harberts’s explanation, it seems that the various Klingon appearances and “houses” are somewhat akin to Earthlings and our various races.

On ‘Star Trek: Discovery’, the Klingons will be played by Chris Obi (T’Kuvma) and Mary Chieffo (L’Rell) with Nicole Dickinson, Jonathan Whittaker, and Adam Winlove-Smith as supporting characters.

‘Star Trek: Discovery’ will debut on CBS All Access this fall on September 24.

Jason Motes

Jason's earliest memory is of watching 'Batman,' followed shortly by a memory of playing Batman & Robin with a friend, which entailed running outside in just their underwear and towels as capes. When adults told them they couldn't run around outside in their underwear, both boys promptly whipped theirs off and ran around in just capes. Jason's father gamely agreed to read him comic books as bedtime stories instead of 'Snow White.' (Super Friends being his favorite.) Jason saw all of the original Star Wars movies (and Indiana Jones and Superman and Star Trek...) in the theaters. Yes, he is old. And grew up in the most GEEKTASTIC decade ever, the 80s, devouring a steady diet of GI Joe, Transformers, Masters of the Universe, Princess of Power and (best of all) Jem! (It totally counts as sci fi! They had a sentient computer that projected holograms!) Jason has studied literature, journalism, film history and has a degree in creative writing (and a minor in psychology) from the University of South Alabama. He has worked as a technical writer and proofreader. These days, most of his creative energy goes into his blog and writing for this site! He lives with the cutest puppies ever.